Giorgos Theocharous

Enhancing the Tourist Industry Through Light: a Different Approach to Urban Lighting Design Giorgos Theocharous

Ayia Napa is a tourist resort at the far end of the south coast of the island of Cyprus famous for its sandy beaches and wild night life. Due to the rapid development after the Turkish invasion of 1974 almost all of traditional Ayia Napa has been destroyed. The old houses have given place to anonymous buildings and the place has left without identity. This has a negative effect on the promotion of Ayia Napa as a place with tradition. Although is a unique place for enjoying the sun and the golden sandy beaches with crystal clear water, the place lacks originality during the night because its monuments are not put in focus and also the existing nightscape has nothing to do with the social, commercial and cultural activities taken place. The scope of this research project is to investigate which methodologies are valid to understand the context, understand and define the problems that emerge and make the necessary proposals for a valid lighting design that will improve the quality of life and promote the tourist industry of a tourist resort.